How to make habits stick

Undoing bad habits can be difficult, but luckily it is easier to train yourself to form good habits. Creating good habits will eventually crowd out the bad habits if you commit to change.

Changing your habits is no easy task, but there are some tips and tricks you can use to make the process a little smoother. Take a look below for some ideas to help you make new habits stick:

Think about what’s holding you back

Understanding what’s holding you back from starting or maintaining a habit is key. Is it because it’s inconvenient or intimidating? Address each concern and find a way around it.

Have your life in order before you start

If you’re going through a period of upheaval and stress, now may not be the best time to start implementing habits. Consider waiting until things are relatively stress-free so you can focus on the task at hand.

Pick one habit and start small

Start small and choose just one habit to implement at first. If you overwhelm yourself with too many difficult tasks you’ll give up and be reluctant to try again. So, if your goal is to work out for longer, add five minutes onto your exercise regime and build up from there.

Write down your goals

Having your overall goals clear in your mind is essential. Write them down and put it somewhere you’ll see it – this will serve as a reminder and motivator.

Set reminders

Use whatever reminder works best for you. This could be a reminder on your phone, on your desk calendar or even on a carefully placed post-it. Over time, when your action becomes a habit, you won’t need this, but it is very helpful in the beginning.

Create triggers

Triggers are actions or rituals you can do before your habit. The idea is that this will work to remind you. An example of this could be that every time you brush your teeth, you do some squats.

Expect imperfections

When creating new habits you are bound to fail occasionally. Try not to let this deter you, one mistake will not ruin the rest of your hard work. Persistence will always pay off.

If you're struggling to quit a bad habit, you may find hypnotherapy useful. Use our advanced search to find a hypnotherapist near you.